The Unexpected Ingredient That's A Good Source Of Probiotics

Your gut isn't just for digesting food. It affects many aspects of your well-being, including your mental health and your immune system. Products claiming to support gut health are everywhere right now — and for good reason. It turns out that cottage cheese, a food usually recognized for being a protein powerhouse, can contain probiotics, tiny living organisms that help support the health of your digestive system. 

That said, you'll need to choose cottage cheese carefully to ensure that you're getting the benefits of probiotics. Whether the cottage cheese on your grocery store shelf contains probiotics depends on how it was made. If you're looking for a gut health boost, look for the words "live and active cultures" on the ingredients list to be sure the variety you're choosing contains probiotics. Cottage cheese isn't the only high-probiotic food that you can toss into your grocery cart to support your gut health, either. Try adding kimchi, yogurt, sauerkraut, and some types of cheese (like gouda and mozzarella) to your diet to boost your probiotic intake.

Ready to enjoy the benefits of adding probiotics to your diet with cottage cheese? We've got you. While some people are put off by cottage cheese, there are plenty of ways you can include it in recipes where it'll blend right in. If texture is the issue, you can try tossing some cottage cheese into your food processor so you can enjoy all the benefits of protein and probiotics without the lumpiness. 

Use these creamy curds instead of ricotta in a lasagna, adding it between layers of noodles, where it'll easily mesh with other ingredients. You can also add cottage cheese to a variety of breakfast recipes, including pancakes and waffles, and it even lends creaminess to scrambled eggs. Cheesecake and dessert parfaits get a protein boost with the addition of this healthy dairy product as well. It's important to note that while heating cottage cheese doesn't destroy all of its health benefits, it will kill probiotics. Inactive (dead) probiotics still have health benefits, but you may want to eat cottage cheese uncooked if you're looking for the maximum possible gut health benefit.